It Takes a Minute…
by Pippa6100
Summary: But Ruka could tell her crush had a raw wound in his heart. And she felt the need to help heal it, nearly praying that she could. Giftshipping, Lucciano/Ruka. Slight Jack/Carly.


**Title:** It Takes a Minute…

**Summary: **But Ruka could tell her crush (there, she said it) had a raw wound in his heart. And she felt the need to help heal it, nearly _praying_ that she could. Giftshipping, Lucciano/Ruka.

**Rating: **K+

**Disclaimer: **I do NOT own Yu-Gi-Oh! 5Ds.

* * *

"_It takes a minute to have a crush on someone, an hour to like someone, and a day to love someone - but it takes a lifetime to forget someone."_

* * *

Ruka sat perched on the edge of the fountain the served as the centerpiece in Lucciano's yard. She had been learning how to ride the Duel Board Lucciano had just given her as a gift (her cheeks turned pink) and was progressing well. Lucciano had gone inside for a brief moment to get something. His butler – Placido, was it? – stood sentry near the foot of the sweeping staircase some ways away.

Ruka glanced at Lucciano's backpack neatly placed next to her. His deck sat carefully on top of it. She felt a strange feeling almost emanating from it. She tried to ignore it, but it beckoned to her like she was a moth, it the flame.

She was hesitant to hear the Spirits in her classmate's deck; doing so felt almost like the act of reading his diary.

Yet, curiosity won. Cautiously, Ruka placed her hand on top of Lucciano's deck.

The instant rush was almost dizzying; quietly, she gasped as the feelings of Lucciano's Duel Spirits poured into her. Loud, fierce, with an air of superiority, and an almost violent, desperate temper…though underneath it all ran a current of hurt and sorrow.

She withdrew her hand quickly and clutched it close. The butler glanced at her, and in an almost slightly sarcastic voice he asked, "Are you okay, Miss?"

Ruka nodded towards him just as Lucciano came back. He continued to help her ride the board. She blushed furiously whenever he held her arm to teach her a certain position, but the memory of his deck still lingered in her mind.

She said the words without thinking: "Lucciano-kun? Where are your parents?"

The red headed duelist froze for a fraction of a second as if caught off guard, and then made the smile return to his face. "Oh, they're not…around," he said carefully, tiptoeing around the subject. He then continued showing her how to make turns on the Duel Board.

But Ruka could tell her crush (there, she said it) had a raw wound in his heart. And she felt the need to help heal it, nearly _praying_ that she could.

* * *

Days after Rua and Ruka's close duel with Lucciano, they all sat in the Poppo Time garage. Crow and Aki were discussing something, while Rua was excitedly telling Yusei about a duel at school.

Ruka sat near Jack. She was deathly quiet, and Jack glanced at the younger Signer.

"What's wrong?" he asked straight out, her silence unsettling him.

Ruka gazed up at Jack as if he had jolted her awake. Immediately, Jack regretted asking. Yet, the eleven year-old girl suddenly felt the need to get something off her chest.

"Jack?" she asked tentatively, "Is it wrong to lo…like someone who tried to kill you?" Ruka hung her head.

Surprisingly, Jack's voice responded sharply, "No. It may not make sense to others, but…you love simply who you love. I know others would disagree, but I know my view on the matter."

Ruka took a deep, shaky breath. To think the person that would comfort her would be Jack, of all people.

Her feelings were still mixed, the images of Lucciano still in her head. She was not sure of her feelings, but held Jack's words like a talisman.

* * *

Even years after Ark Cradle, she still remembers him.

All sides of him, really – him in disguise, as he dueled Jack, even in his other embodiments – but the thing that still stays with her even now is that first day she met him.

Yes, she knows that most of it (all of it?) was most likely an act. His laugh still rings in her ears and she still doesn't know if she forgives him for…for everything.

Yet, she will never forget the need she felt to heal his internal wound, for his deck, unlike him, didn't lie.

For better or for worse, Ruka could never forget Lucciano, even if she wanted to.

The End

**Author's Note**: I think through her life, Ruka will never forget Lucciano. Hence the quote. The middle section might seem out of place, but I really wanted to highlight the similarity between Jack/Carly and Ruka/ Lucciano (yes, I know they're not THAT similar). I'm fairly happy with this story. Today, I bought a small pack of five 5Ds cards and, amazingly, I had gotten Majestic Star Dragon. That put me in a great enough mood to finally get around to writing this ^_^ Please review even if you don't like this pairing. Also, please vote for the poll on my profile.


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